Time-shell



(N0 Moiiel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T J. ARMISTEAD.

TIME SHELL.

No. 289,492. Patented Dec. 4 1883.

V BNfTOR:

ATTORNEY;

WITNESSES L/7 W O (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. J. ARMISJ'EAD.

TIME SHELL. No. 289,492. Patented Dec. 4, 1883.

WITNESSES: F A INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

' Ain such manner as to form a water-tight UNITED STATES i A'I -ENTFries.

THOMAS J. ARMISTEAD, OF LANCASTER, ASSIGNOR ONE-HALF TO SIMEON A.MIDDLETON AND GHRISTOPHER O. MCCLURE, BOTH OF CRAB ORCHARD,

KENTUCKY;

TI M E-SH EL L.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,492, datedDecember 4, 1883.

Application filed February 6, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:- I Be it known that I, THOMAS J. ARMIST'EAD,

of Lancaster, in the county of Garrard and State of Kentucky, haveinvented anew and 5 useful Improvement in Time-Shells, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad,to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of shells or projectiles havingaclock-work adapted to be set in motion by the act of being dischargedfrom a gun, and means for causing the clockwork to release a firingmechanism at any desired instant, for the purpose of exploding thetorpedo.

In the drawings, Figurel is an elevation of the torpedo, partly insection and partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a section of the timing andfiring mechanisms, taken on line war of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a detailview.

The shell of the torpedo consists of a cylindrical body, A, whi'ch'is tohold the explosive substance, and a conical part, B, which is adapted tobe secured to one end of the part joint. In this conical part areinclosed the mechanisms for timing and firing the-torpedo. The timingmechanism consists of an ordinary clock-work, embracing the coil-spring0, connected to the rear end of the longitudinal shaft D, and the systemof gearing E, deriving motion from the said spring. The shaft F of thegearing E is provided with a loose sleeve, G, carrying a cam, H, whichis adapted to be set in any desired position by rotating the sleeve andthen screwing up the nut I on the. end of the shaft E, which holds thefrictional clutches i i on the shaft and sleeve, respectively, incontact with each other. The cam H is connected with a device, J, forreleasing the firing mechanism, which will hereinafter be explained.

To assist in setting the cam in order to secure the release of thefiring mechanism in a given number of seconds, adial, K, is arrangedinside the shell, and a pointer, L, on the end of the sleeve G isadapted to move over the face of the dial, and an opening, M, isprovided in the shell, through which the sleeve may be reached androtated -to set the cam.

This opening is to be provided with a waterproof cover of any suitableconstruction.

The timing mechanism, when wound up, will be held byanotched wheel,N, orits equivalent, on the forward end of the longitudinal shaft 1), and aspring-released catch, 0, pivoted in a recess, I, in the outer surfaceof the conical part B of the shell, which is adapted to be held inengagement with one of the notches'in the wheel N by the contact withits outer end, Q, of the inner surface of the gunchamber-thalt is, whenthe projectile is inserted into the gu n-chambcr, the end Q of the leveror catch 0 is to be pressed inward toward the body of the projectile, inwhich position it-will be held by the wall of the chamber until the gunis discharged. As soon as the projectile leaves the 'gun the spring ofthe catch 0 will cause the wheel N to be released, and the movement ofthe clock-work or timing mechanism will begin.

The firing mechanism consists of a springactuated dog, R, which is to beso located that it may strike through an opening in the frame S andexplode the percussion-cap T, andof a cam, U, and coil-spring Y foroperating the dog. The coil-spring Vis wound on a drum, W, andcommunicates its action through a ratchet, Y, to the shaft Y, whichcarries a pinion, Z, gearing with a larger pinion, A, on the shaft B. Onthe shaft B is secured the cam U, which operates the dog R against theaction of its spring 0. This cam is so constructed that it has agradually-increasing eccentricity of outline which shall act upon therear end, D, of the dog, and thus raise the latter 'to cocked position,from which it will be sprung back when the end D of the dog slips offthe point E of the cam, as the latter continues to revolve. The cap T isto be supported immediately in line with the striking end of the dog ina suitable receptacle or opening in the body A, which contains theexplosive compound.

In order to hold the firing mechanism until the instant the explosion isto be made, Iprovide a shaft, F, having a pinion, G, which gears with apinion, H, on the shaft Y, and provide the shaft F with a suitableprojection, J, against which a corresponding projection, I00

IO j the projectionP ripheral surface of the cam H. The cam H iscircular in form nearly throughout itsperiphery, but is provided with aV-shaped recess extending nearly to its center, so that when is broughtto said recess by the rotation of the cam H through the-timing mechanismabove described itwillbe allowe to sink into said recess under theaction of the coil-springs V of the firing mechanism, and thus cause theshaft L to rotate sufficiently to withdraw its projection K out ofcontact with the projectiou'J'. When the projection 'J is thus released,thecoil-spring-V begins to unwind and sets the cam U in motion,'which isadapted to rotate with s'uflicient rapidity to operate the hammer or dogwithin a few sec- When the torpedo is constructed, the coilsprings areto be wound, and these parts need again after the mechanism is inclosedin the shell. It is only 11 to reach the sleeve upon which the cam H isI mounted in order to set the timing mechanism according to the distancethe projectile is to be thrown, and this sleeve, as already doscribed,is to be reached through an opening in the conical part of the Theextreme (and of the conical part of the torpedo is made removab1e, inorder that the'notched wheel and its catch may be inspected toascertainlf they are inproper engagement each other 'a construction,broadly.

notched wheel, N, at the sum before being' inserted into the gun. Theend; or point is toscrew into or over'the main'part,j i

as shown.

. 40 It is understood that all Openings i th 11. 11. y

are to be closed water-proof to exclude water from the machinery, aswell as from the ex; 1 plosive compound. v w

I am aware that it is not broadly new to provide a torpedo with-atime-firing mechanism having a clock-spring and gearing adapted to,

release a spring-operated hammer, which produces the explosion bystrikinga cap or'other' firing device, and Itherefore do not claim fvWhatI claimis-- '3 1. The combination, with a shell, of the 10113gitudinalshafl; D, having the timing clock-1' spring 0 secured theretoother end, and the spring-released catch 0, adapted to engage with saidwheel, and having one end projecting along the outside of the shell,'and'ada to be held in engagement with the wheel by the wall of thegun-chamber, substantially as shown and described. 2. The combination,with the timing mechauism, of the adjustable cam H, having a V-" Y-shaped recess extending nearly to its center.", 65 the device J,arranged in contact with the said cam, the spring and cam operated dogR,ran'd J means, J K4, for connecting the firing mechanism of the "dogwith the device J and cam-H," substantially as shown and described. ,1 11 T. J. ARMISTEAD; Witnesses: I V

' A. G. LYNE,

801.01: 0. Ramos.

at one end and a

